‘Make the deal in Gaza!’ - President Trump again calls for Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal

U.S. President Donald Trump resumed his calls for a hostage-ceasefire deal in Gaza, following speculation in recent days that Israel and Hamas are close to a deal following the end of Operation Rising Lion. 

“MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!! DJT,” Trump posted to Truth Social early Sunday morning. 

While it is not clear from the post who is being addressed, much of the Israeli press assumed that Trump was pressuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the conflict. 

Trump had earlier posted a message in which he repeated the calls for the legal proceedings against Prime Minister Netanyahu to be halted, calling them a “travesty of ‘Justice.’” 

In that post, Trump also spoke of the impact the legal case against Netanyahu has on his ability to handle the situation in Iran and Gaza. 

“Importantly, he is right now in the process of negotiating a Deal with Hamas, which will include getting the Hostages back,” Trump wrote. 

Following Israel’s historic success in Operation Rising Lion, President Trump is hoping to pivot quickly to ending the Gaza War and expanding the Abraham Accords, Axios reported last Thursday. 

The news site quoted an anonymous source with “knowledge of the matter”, who said, "Trump wants a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza as soon as possible.” 

The report came after Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff spoke about “pretty big announcements” related to the Abraham Accords in a CNBC interview last Wednesday. 

"We think we're going to have some pretty big announcements on countries that are now coming into the Abraham Peace Accords, and we're hoping for normalization across an array of countries that maybe people would have never contemplated would come in," Witkoff said in the interview. 

On Friday, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, President Trump expressed optimism about reaching a hostage-ceasefire deal in the near future. 

“We think we’ll have a ceasefire in Gaza by next week. I think it’s close. I’ve spoken to people who are involved,” Trump said in response to a question about a ceasefire deal. 

However, Israeli officials have cautioned against too much optimism, according to a report in Walla news. The agency reported on Saturday that contrary to Trump’s optimistic comments, “there has been no significant breakthrough in the negotiations on a hostage release agreement and a ceasefire in Gaza.” 

Netanyahu is expected to hold another discussion on the hostage-ceasefire issue with the security cabinet on Sunday. 

Wall also reported that Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is expected to meet with Witkoff later this week to discuss progress in the talks. 

Meanwhile, the IDF called for civilians to evacuate parts of Gaza City and Jabaliya on Sunday morning, warning residents that the military will soon begin operations in the areas. 

“For your safety, evacuate immediately south to the Al-Mawasi area,” the announcement by IDF Arabic spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee said. “The IDF is operating with extreme force in these areas, and these military operations will escalate, intensify, and extend westward to the city center to destroy the capabilities of terrorist organizations.” 

#عاجل ‼️تحذير الى كل المتواجدين في منطقة مدينة غزة وجباليا وفي أحياء الزيتون الشرقي، البلدة القديمة، التركمان، اجديدة، التفاح، الدرج، الصبرة، جباليا البلد، جباليا النزله، معسكر جباليا، الروضة، النهضة، الزهور، النور، السلام وتل الزعتر
⭕️من أجل أمنكم، اخلوا فوراً جنوباً الى منطقة… pic.twitter.com/WdIPuWZiax

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) June 29, 2025

The announcement came just after Walla reported that the IDF is considering the largest civilian evacuation since the start of the Gaza War, as it prepares for the final assault on the remaining Hamas strongholds in the Gaza City area. 

Walla said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir are scheduled to discuss military operations in Gaza later today. 

The site reported that if there is no significant breakthrough in negotiations, the IDF will “carry out extensive maneuvers” in Gaza, in a manner not yet seen in the Iron Swords War.